A Father Knows
by magicalriot
Summary: There are some things that a father just knows about his daughter. Like when she's met her match. Max reflects on Booth's relationship with Bones. Set during The Killer in Concrete.


He watches her tight face, reading the stress lines on her forehead that he's sure were there even when she was fifteen and actually trusted him. But he's never seen her this worried. He sees her knuckles turning white on the steering wheel, and wonders exactly what is going on in her head. It frightens him, more than he cares to admit, that he can't tell. Once upon a time, he knew every thought as it flittered through her too-fast brain. Now she's a closed box, to him at least.

His own daughter.

Max can't take his eyes off her, not when he knows that he only has minutes left with her this time.

But for now, he has the relief of knowing that he's delivering her into safe hands. Because the moment they pull up, he knows she'll sprint to Booth's side, cut him free, and probably hug him too. And even though Booth will be a mess – he's heard too many stories about Gallagher to expect anything else – he still knows that the agent will take care of his daughter once her father once more steps out of the picture.

The devotion, the fierce need to find her partner, had turned her to him. But he couldn't be grateful – not until he knew that Booth was safe and his little girl could breathe properly again.

She's driving way too fast, but he wouldn't dare tell her to slow down. He understands the fear tearing around within her – he's felt it before. When he first went on the run with his wife. When he heard from his contacts that some gang leader had put a hit out on his daughter – only to be informed before he could reach the man that it had been taken care of by some FBI guy. When Russ was being hunted. If there is one thing Max understands, it is being afraid for the ones you love.

He gently touches her shoulder, leaving his hand there as they drive towards the one person she truly fears for.

He isn't naive enough to believe that his daughter understands her own love for Booth, but he holds out some hope that maybe, one day, she'll let him in. He has a healthy respect for the diligent cop, a man who does his job to the best of his ability and with the best of motivations. A man who does the right thing. He can't help but like the man who takes such good care of his daughter, who he has watched drag her out to eat, who visits her in the middle of the night when she's upset… the man who risks his life and career over and over again simply to keep her close.

Max knows that Temperance can't trust anyone else like she trusts Booth – and that alone stops her from going further with their relationship. He knows she fears loosing him. And he also knows that she would not appreciate advice from the father who abandoned her.

But he's going to give it to her anyway.

"Honey," he starts. Her eyes flicker to him, then dart back to the road stretching into the blackness.

"Yes, Dad?"  
He rubs his thumb across her shoulder. "Do you remember when I told you to hold on to someone you trust?"  
She nods almost imperceptibly, and he sees a tear fall down her cheek. "I'm trying, Dad."

"I know," he says as soothingly as he can. "Booth's a good man, an honourable man."  
Her mouth twitches. "He says the same thing about you."  
Max smiles. "Then he's a smart man, too. But I should have guessed that. You wouldn't waste your time on someone unintelligent. But what I'm trying to say here, honey, is that… he's never going to leave you."  
She stiffens. "How can you possibly know that? Chances are-."

"The chances don't matter," Max says dismissively of her rationality. "Logic doesn't matter. When someone loves another like that man loves you, they make damn sure that life doesn't pull them apart."  
"Booth doesn't - ."  
"I know, I know, you don't think you two are anything more than partners and friends. And that's OK, for now. But you should know that you don't need to be afraid. Not of Booth disappointing you."

Her hands tighten even more on the wheel. "Dad, I need to concentrate, we're nearly there."

He purses his lips and squeezes her shoulder once more. "Don't let love like this pass you by, Temperance. It's the best thing in the world."

They pull into the open space in front of a large aeroplane hanger, and Max follows as his daughter sprints to the door, throwing it open and charging recklessly into the dark space. He watches as Booth incapacitates one man, and then turns away to follow the other as he runs. But first he sees his daughter run straight to Booth.

When he realises he's going to have to run, he can't help but feel a twinge of horror at Booth's injuries, and at the terrible experience he has had. But as he kisses his daughters forehead and runs off, he knows the agent will be OK. Because he has Temperance. And just as Booth will never leave her, he knows his daughter will never leave this man. They may not realise yet, but there are some things a father just knows.

One of them is when his daughter has met her match.


End file.
